Not Strong Enough
by the pen of Cloud
Summary: Sephiroth is back, and he's not going down as easily as everyone(except Cloud-thought),will they still be able to beat him now that they no the past victories was a lie? TifaxCloud
1. Chapter 1, looked longer in word!

Note: too short, I made it longer…I think

It was dusk, he had been up for a while, the fire left the logs snickering and snapping. Why did he get up? He being Cloud Strife, wait-was he Cloud? Or was he just a puppet like he had been told? He had found it; he was neither, not the liar's clone, or a fake experiment. No, he wasn't Cloud anymore, he no longer knew who he was. He was no worse then Sephiroth; if he couldn't have let Sephiroth kill Aeris, he was standing right there! Cloud couldn't stand it anymore. It was three months since that day and he still couldn't get over it.

'What is wrong with me?' Cloud thought, 'Why can't I let it go, still thinking about that day?' Cloud got up and grabbed his buster sword. 'I don't think it was a friendship, it was more.' He said looking out at a world he saved, but not alone. He wasn't strong enough; if he was he could have saved another innocent life. He couldn't live with himself.

Tifa was cleaning a mug at the bar down in sector 7, it had to be repaired but it was back in business, Cloud stepped in, "Overflowing Tifa." Cloud said. Tifa looked at Cloud, "you seem frustrated, what's wrong?" Tifa asked curiously. "I wish I could see her smile, laugh like she did back on the rooftops, what have I done?" Cloud asked yet stated. Tifa was rather perky earlier, but this had to darken her day, 'why do I put up with this?' she thought, 'he's too depressed to ask anything of him…' Cloud looked at Tifa, Tifa looked at Cloud." Where's the happy Cloud? You saved the world!" Tifa asked, like a therapist, Cloud stared down at the floor, "he's not dead…I can feel it." Cloud said. Tifa gasped. "Then you are correct my adversary, you are correct." A familiar voice said.

Barret was sitting back watching the people walk along the sidewalk without a care in the world…then he heard a bottle smash. "What's the matter wit' the bashed booze- S-s-s-ephiroth!" Barret asked, Tifa was kneeling, clearly injured, and the one winged angel was holding Cloud by the neck. "You know," Cloud spat some blood at Sephiroth, "You sword is a tad too sharp…I don't like it in my face." Sephiroth stared at Cloud, "You can't kill me, it's not as if you are strong enough." Sephiroth replied, "and I suppose you think that's…funny?" Sephiroth being the inquisitor, Cloud's eyes narrowed, Sephiroth's eyes widened.

Cloud reeled his leg upward straight into Sephiroth's face.

"Tifa you all right?" Barret asked, "I don' know what's going on out there, but I sure don' like it." Tifa nodded and got back up, "Why can't we ever have a single non-interesting plain old boring day?" Tifa replied.

Cloud took out his buster sword and hacked at Sephiroth, but was blocked by the Masamune.

"Come, Cloud you can't hope to defeat me." Sephiroth gloated, "You have become soft…as many do when someone like me passes you by."

Cloud casted fire, catching Sephiroth's cloak on fire "Why can't I hit you?" he yelled. Sephiroth threw his flaming cloak at Cloud, "You're to weak."

Barret turned and grabbed Tifa by the hand, "No 'ur not." Barret said to Tifa, trying to turn back, "we're goin' to get help, besides the bar will last." Barret stated. Tifa looked back at the bar, "I'm worried about Cloud more then the bar."

Cloud was knocked into the door, "This fight will end soon Cloud, you can count on it," Sephiroth said, Masamune to Cloud's neck.

Cid was pacing the hangar nervously, "You know what this needs?" Cid looked at the Highwind, he had been talking to himself five minutes ago. Cid just stared straight at the ship, "I think it needs a new paint job." He replied to him self, "I can't take it any more!" Barret charged in. "How long have you been here?" Cid asked his newly emanated companion.

"The sooner I get this over with the better," Sephiroth whispered in Cloud's ear, "I've got more lives that I need too end." He continued. "Why don't you end this then?" Cloud asked even though he knew the answer, "It's simple, or are you stalling?" Sephiroth lowered his blade, "you've changed Cloud, maybe you're not as weak as I thought, but then again," He looked at a beaten up man, shameless and arrogant but still weak. "You are too weak, I may be cruel, but you don't deserve to die, not until you suffer. " he vanished.

The day was ending, and there was little time on Tifa's clock, She kicked open the door to the bar followed by Cid, and Barret, "Why'd we go that far for Cid anyways? Oh my god…" Tifa gasped more than said…She ran straight to Cloud, the bar was destroyed but she cared more about Cloud, more than anything. "Cloud can you hear me? Cloud?"

He could hear just fine, but he was in darkness, 'what'd it mean? What did it mean?' he thought.


	2. Chapter 2, what do you need a catch phra...

It was quiet, Tifa was staring at the fire, Barret and Cid were eyeing the stars. It had been one week since the day when everything was destroyed…but mainly there dignity. Cloud was still passed out, 'I don't know why, but I don't think we should have wasted time getting Cid." Barret said trying to lighten things up, "Shut up Barret." Cid replied in a almost non-serious way. Everybody was deep in thought, how could they beat Sephiroth now that he revealed he was 'invincible'?

Cloud stared, deep and hard. Was that…himself? "What's your number…where's your tattoo?" Hojo said, everything went like a static, "Excellent this means my experiment was a success!" Cloud stared, all these images… were they trying to tell him something?

Tifa had mixed emotions, confusion, love, and anger. Her confusion was; didn't they see the crater give in? Wasn't Sephiroth dead? Her love was given to Cloud…Cloud she hoped he was ok, he had been unconscious for a long time. Last yet mostly was anger at herself for letting Barret drag her off like that, They would be fine if they hadn't took that detour…she just hoped they'd be able to recover from this.

The entire thing was adding up, Hojo, he had something to do with this…he probably created a new Sephiroth…made 'him' stronger. Maybe he could get Hojo to do the same for him, he knew the answer would be no… he ruined Hojo, but maybe he could use his sword for negotiation.

The others were asleep, but Tifa was awake. She put out the fire, and went to sleep. The outskirts of Midgar seemed a lot better that night.

A hand brushed Tifa's face, "Cloud?" she muttered, "no food, eat." Barret said shoving some strange meal at Tifa. Tifa ate, maybe it'd help her feel better.

It was dark, there he was. Just sitting there, in empty space. He had been thinking for several minutes, or…days. 'All I have to do is wait for myself to regain cautiousness.' He thought.

"Listen, I think that Sephiroth is still here, maybe we could chase after him" Cid spoke, "Barret you carry Cloud. We're going after him as soon as that food loses it's kick." He ordered. Tifa grabbed the buster sword. A couple hours later Sephiroth sprouted his wing and took flight, "looks like he's heading to the Shinra corp. ruins…" Tifa said looking at Sephiroth fly on the horizon, "If we hurry we can take him down by night" she continued cracking her knuckles.

"I feel like I'm…moving?" Cloud asked himself, "If I'm moving in the wrong direction… It could be too late when I get to Hojo!" He yelled out. An echo started.

Cloud moaned, "Cloud!" Tifa said in a combination of delight and concern, "he's alive!" "Not long 'till he be wakin' up." Barret replied lugging Cloud's body-he was heavy.

"I understand now," Cloud said, it came out as a grunt. "He's getting better." Barret said, replying to Cloud's noise. "I know what I have to do." He replied himself. "But there are to many I care about…Tifa…the town." Cloud said finishing his thoughts. "I love her. Like I loved Aeris, I can't let another crisis happen." "I know."

"Who are you?" "I'm you, I'm me." He responded…to himself, "This is kind of crazy." "Well you are crazy yourself, look at you, so week."

"so…you aren't?" "Well…I'm more experienced." They rambled on…or he. "Listen, you've got to be like 'future' me." "Oh but I am." The 'future' me responded taking out his hand and offering himself a shake, "take this hand, and you are making a contract, that you'll keep Tifa and friends safe, and never ever talk to yourself…again." They-he, shaked on it.

Tifa stared at the grumbling Cloud, "he'll be okay." Barret said comfortably, "I know he's coming back anytime now, we're close to Sephiroth. Go to sleep I'll take the next watch." He patted Tifa's shoulder.

Tifa laid down on a log, but couldn't put herself to sleep.

She was on a cloud. The sun was shining in her eyes, there was Sephiroth, with the Masamune. A glint was in his eye. He plunged straight at Tifa. She woke up, screaming faintly. Something was up, nothing was clear though, she had to wait, and she didn't like it.

Sephiroth walked slowly down jagged rocks, it didn't hurt him. He went towards the main Shinra building. It was in shambles. "Just as I left it." He smirked. Sephiroth went down some breaking glass. It would begin soon. The trial would begin soon.

A hand brushed over Tifa's face lips touched her cheek gently, then left leaving cold air to come back touching her. "Cloud?" she murmured. "What?" he responded. "Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked. "You've got 5 hours, then we go see Hojo."


	3. Chapter 3, a long convo

Hojo is a simple man, doing arithmetic in his head, a god on earth that belonged to him that has his tag, a simple man indeed. Hojo was a good person, acing all his tests in high, able to go to any college. Although now he isn't much of a man, a professor of a dead company, locked away in a room with nothing but stress on him. Thus begins a chapter in this story.

'Another day another repair bill.' Hojo thought, 'this'd be nothing if I only had that money he was getting right now.' He yapped about in his mind. Footsteps were heard in the broken hallway. "Hello, have you got the money?" Hojo asked. "If I didn't it wouldn't matter." Sephiroth smirked, "but yes I have the money." A bag of cash was dumped besides Hojo. "Any trouble?" Hojo inquired. "They are weak, Cloud isn't strong anymore. It was only a mere bravado the last time…so I think." Sephiroth said kneeling down, sticking out his hand. "Ah yes the reward, this will last you 1 year, now run along now." Hojo responded as if to a begging puppy giving a small capsule to Sephiroth, "and oh yes, I know you like to toy with them…but please they may prove a nuisance." "As you want it you shall have it." "Good. If you finish them and SHINRA gets back running, the reward is immortality."

"Here we are, SHINRA." Cloud stated, "I'll go in first the rest of you cover me." Barret didn't like that as much as Cloud, "cover? Come on man, we're in on this to!" he responded to Cloud angrily. "Business, it's my business. I got us into this I'm going to complete it." Cloud said walking down the jagged rocks near the main building.

"They are here." Sephiroth said, "well don't just stand there get to the roof before nightfall and feed yourself with the capsule, and make yourself...live!" Hojo spoke out. Sephiroth glared at Hojo and then went straight to the smashed roof, but it was still the roof.

"Where is he? Where's Hojo?" Cloud busted the door open. Reno got up from a desk and pulled out a gun, "you're not supposed to be here." "I'm here for Hojo not to beat you to a pulp." Reno fired 5 shots right after Cloud kicked a metallic door in front of him. Reno huffed, "no one sees Hojo, he has a quarantine." He ducked under the desk he was sitting at earlier. "Who put that up-Rufus?" Cloud asked rolling to the other side of the desk, buster sword ready. Reno stood moving his gun along the room.

"Where are the other turks?" "Out on a road trip." Cloud sliced at Reno's gun then ran. The gun exploded. Reno screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Cloud sheathed his sword; his business was back on schedule. Once he hit the second floor he shot Reno's gun out to Barret, who was 10 miles away from Tifa, who'd enter from the back entrance.

Tifa was sitting near the back door cracking her knuckles; she was after all kind of nervous. Barret fired shots up into the air that was her cue; she ran in, the basement floor was clear. "I hope Sephiroth is really here, not back at Junon or where ever."

"Hojo!" Cloud ran to Hojo. "Hello…failure, I've been waiting." "You're the one behind Sephiroth!" "Of course fool, the capsules I've been giving him have been boosting his strength and allowing him to live." "How did you-" "Simple my boy, all I had to do was do some dirty work myself. I'm a scientist, a professor. I am all that I am, my genius was able to use a small titanium drill and a propeller to go down the crater. All that I had to do was pull Sephiroth out after that 'spiritual' battle you two had." "How did you get him from killing you and just taking all the capsules?" "A small electrical patch was pasted to his skin. Plus, I know tons of your information. After all you are his adversary." "You're getting at…?" "You fool, all your personal information, everything." "Your forgetting something…he already knows me."

"You are correct, but I still have the upper hand on him." "And me Hojo? What about me?" "Well this long talk has gone no-where, it's obvious, you have the same patch from when I created you." "There is one thing I'm here for, whatever you're giving to Sephiroth. I need it." "There is only one left, it will last 30 minutes, and the result of the capsule good murder you from the inside, and what makes you think I'd give it to you?" "In this order; don't care, that's long enough, I would die fighting him anyways, and I have a sword to your neck." Cloud said, ending the longest conversation he had had for a while, taking his buster sword to Hojo's neck.

Barret took the second floor, "clear, no one I here takin' my post." Barret said on a walkie-talkie Cid took the third post, "bla-bla-bla ditto." Tifa sat a cut up desk. She was sitting there for what seemed for an hour when she realized something, Reno. There was an access card on the knocked out man, he would die of blood loss soon, she wondered if she could sneak off for a while and try to get to the roof, maybe she could look at the sunset or something it definitely bested just sitting there. Barret was eyeing his gun, maybe he could grab a snack or something…it would only require him leaving his spot for a while. Cid was eyeing his empty cigarette case and sniffed, without his supply of nicotine he'd be sure to lose self-control.

Cloud started again, "I still don't understand, he was bad news for all of us…he'd bring havoc. Yet you keep on have him rebuilt…re- whatever it is you do to make him live…-for the third time-…why?" " Sephiroth is forced to do my bidding, you kill me, and he kills you and company." Cloud's eyes opened, "he's here?" "What he wouldn't be back at the raided towns. Don't be stupid…failure." A stinging sensation hit Cloud when he heard 'failure'. "Look, where is he, where is the capsule, and I'll leave you alone." Hojo responded silently, giving Cloud a small capsule or maybe a tablet. "Eat it." Cloud popped it in his mouth. "He's on the roof. Though I doubt you can beat him." Cloud walked out of the small room, he didn't need Hojo's support.

Sephiroth stood there waiting for Cloud to open the latch. It was nightfall, and he had been eager to see cloud's full strength. His power was surging through his blood, through his veins. Soon he would be able to defeat Cloud, the whelp will cower before him, and he'd show no mercy. "Hello, Cloud," Sephiroth greeted his enemy once he heard the hatch open. "Sephiroth, it's over. You know it's going to end with your body lying flat on this roof." Cloud said, climbing out of the latch, "but it's been a while, I'm warmed up now." Cloud said getting in a battle stance. "Now Cloud, don't be so hasty, there is plenty of time. Don't you want to hear something to fight against? Maybe some motivation?" Cloud shook his head. "Very well then." Sephiroth unsheathed the Masamune slowly, "let's begin."

Tifa took the card and slipped it in a small slot, the door beside the slot unlocked. "And here I go again." She talked to herself. "Maybe these stairs goes to the roof." She ran up the stairs. That's when she heard it, the sound of clashing swords. Tifa saw a ladder up ahead, she climbed up it and opened a latch made of wood, 'Sephiroth is here' that's bad, if he sees Barret and the others-' she thought, and there it was again. The sound of swords crashing, right in front of her was Cloud kicking up dust, blocking a rally of Sephiroth's blows. "You are weak Cloud, every time I see you, I see a coward." "Well I'm glad you see yourself in me." They charged at each other again. 'Why is he always fighting' Tifa asked herself, watching the tide of the battle turn.

"Good, good." Sephiroth smirked while being knocked by the flat end of Cloud's buster sword,  
"much…better." Sephiroth realized the concept suddenly. Cloud jumped high into the air and swooped down, the buster sword lodged into the ground, Sephiroth started to crowd Cloud, but was kicked in the stomach, in reaction he skirted along the roof. "You're using Hojo's capsules?" Cloud nodded. "Then I'll have to use my full potential on you." "Then lets end this." They both grinned, it was the beginning of the end…again.


End file.
